Business entities that offer products or services often need to provide support to customers for issues that arise from use of the products or services. These issues can be tracked using an issue tracking system. An issue tracking system is a computer software package configured to manage and maintain reported issues with the products or services. A customer support representative or the customer themselves can create a support ticket in the issue tracking system for each reported issue. As a technician or customer support representative works on resolving the issue, he or she can update the support ticket as progress is made.
Typically, a customer has expectations when it comes to the level of support that the business entity will provide in resolving issues with the product or service. These expectations can come from express warranties, implied warranties, a service plan, or other guarantee or promise provided by the business entity. If an issue is not resolved appropriately or within the appropriate amount of time, a customer can escalate the support ticket by notifying a superior within the business entity, having the business entity pay fines, or filing a lawsuit against the business entity. For example, a customer can have a service plan with the business entity that states all issues will be resolved within 48 hours. If a support ticket is not resolved within that window of time, the business entity may be penalized.
This issue becomes more acute in a large business entity that generates thousands of support tickets a day since each support ticket has the potential to be escalated. As the number of support tickets increase, the business entity will have difficulty minimizing the fines or liability that is inherent when resolving support tickets.